Dispensing carton

ABSTRACT

A dispensing carton in which a reclosable pouring opening located at one top corner is held closed by bendable fasteners which also aid in opening the corner for pouring the contents from the carton.

United States Patent lnventor Ruth S. Miller l-lyattsville, Md. (2715 Cortland Place NW. 22, Washington, D.C. 20008) Appl. No. 830,998 Filed June 6, 1969 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 DISPENSING CARTON 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

11.8. C1. 229/7, 229/17, 222/556 Int. Cl. 865d 5/72, B65d 83/00 Field of Search 222/556,

Primary Examiner Davis T. Moorhead Attorney-Lawrence 1. Field ABSTRACT: A dispensing carton in which a reclosable pouring opening located at one top corner is held closed by bendable fasteners which also aid in opening the corner for pouring the contents from the carton.

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. DISPENSING CARTON This invention relates to cardboard cartons, such as those used to dispense materials such as dry cereals, sugar, soap powders, and other materials which may be poured from such cartons. More particularly, it relates to a comer opening on such cartons and to a device for closing, or clamping shut, the opening when it is not being used to pour the contents from the opening.

This invention is a simplification and improvement over the invention described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,924.

The cardboard cartons presently being used for the packaging of cereals na and detergents exhibit a variety of means providing access to the contents of the box.

The simplest and perhaps the oldest method of obtaining access to the contents of a cardboardcarton is to cut off the top cover with a sharp knife, but such a method is only effective when the entire contents are to be used at once and hence there will be no storage with attendant likelihood of spillage or spoilage during storage on a shelf or in a cupboard.

Another previously known design is characterized by score lines which are intended to be sprung by pressure of the thumb or fingers, but which in actual practice often require the use of a sharp tool to effect the desired ser severing along the score lines. Like the first method, the result is objectionable, since it leavesan open box in which the contents are exposed to the atmosphere and hence may lose freshness and taste appeal, or may cake due to moisture pickup. Still another known design provides a movable tab which can be opened part way, e.g. to form a pouring spout and which can be readily reclosed. Such spouts are sometimes located in the carton top where they are subject to bending or on the side of the carton and hence are not at the most convenient location for pouring which is at one of the top corners of the carton. Also, these metal pouring spouts are small and are only good for such materials (items) as salt and sugar.

One object of the present invention is .to provide a carton opening and closure device which are located on a corner of the carton and which can be easily opened for dispensing a portion of the contents of the carton and which can then be tightly closed so as to preserve the freshness of the contents remaining in the carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container opening and closure device which does not require a sharp knife to effect opening of the container.

Still another objectis to provide a carton which is easy to open, is easy to pour from and is easy to close.

These and other objects will be pointed out or will become apparent from the following description taken with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a blank from which the box or carton is formed, showing the cutting and scoring of the blank before it is folded and pasted to form a carton;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view in perspective showing the closure opened to permit dispensing of the contents of the carton FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton with the closure device in place showing the two comers closed and fastened shut with the metal fasteners after pouring has been completed;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views showing removable outer wraps which cover the closure device of the invention after filling and which remain thereon until the first opening of the carton;

FIG. 6 is a view of a blank for one such outer wrap;

FIG. 7 is a view of a reinforcement blank; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a fastener element.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the carton 1,0 is made from a conventional box blank 12. Blank 12 has a front panel 14, a rear panel .16, side panels 18, 18', top flaps 20, 20', 24, 24' forming the carton top and bottom flaps 21, 21', 23, 23' forming the carton bottom. A gummed flap 22 extending from one side of the panel 16 completes the elements found in presently known conventional box blanks.

To produce the box blank utilized in the present invention, a triangular piece 30 is core scored, as shown in FIG. 1. Sides 26 and 28 are scored or incised on the side of the blank forming the inside of the carton when the blank has been folded and pasted. This is to facilitate easier and safer bending.

Cuts are made along part of the seam 30 between top flap 24 and side panel 18 and part of the seam 32 between top flap 20 and front panel 12 and a cut is also made along seam 34 extending between the front panel 12 and the side panel 18. The usual cuts and score lines are also made to define the top and bottom flaps and the fold lines between panels.

The pouring openings are defined by two flaps 50 and 50'. Flap 50 is bounded by seam 34 (cut), score line 28 and seam 32. Flap 50 is bounded by seam 34 (cut), score line 26 and seam 30. i

In relatively thin cartons, the pouring flaps may be stiffened or reinforced by a triangular stiffener pasted to the rear of blank 10 so as to underlie the pouring flaps.

When the slits are cut for flaps 20 and 24, they trim off any excess reinforcement and when the cut is made along seam 34, the incision partitions the reinforcement into two halves, each of which underlies one of flaps 50 and 50,-so as to stiffen them.

Any suitable fastener can be used to hold the flaps closed when the contents are being stored and not being dispensed. For example, a plastic coated wire tie strip shown in FIG. 8, made of a strip of plastic or paper and having a wire 82 embedded thereon, could be stapled, pasted or otherwise bonded to the carton. One such strip could be fastened to the underside or outerside of flap 10 and the other strip could be inserted between flap 50 and the reinforcement 70 adhered to the back of flap 50.

As shown in the drawings, the fasteners 40 and 42 are bendable metal fasteners.

Flexible bendable metal fasteners 40 and 42 are each secured at one end, for example to top panel, and when they are bent down as in FIG. 3, they serve to keep the two pouring flaps 50, 50' in place.

When the free ends of the bendable fasteners are raised, as in FIG. 2, the two flaps 50 and 50 are free to open as in FIG. 2

. It is possible to secure both bendable fasteners to flap 20, in

which caseboth will be bent down, or one to flap 20 and one to either flap 50 or 50', in which case that one will be bent up.

When fastener 40 is attached to flap 50, it can be used to aid in pulling flap 50' open. Hence this is the preferred arrangement for tabs 40 and 42.

In order to guard against premature opening of the carton, after the carton is formed, a sealing strip of paper or plastic is pasted over the corner, one such strip 58 being the I-shaped strip shown in FIG. 6 having arms 60, 62 and 64 and a V notch 66 which permits a neat mitered corner when pasted on the carton.

Tear strings 70 may be secured beneath strip 60.

It is also possible to use masking tape or a similarly adhesive-backed paperfor strip 58.

Cartons which are to be used to package cereals should be sprayed inside with was wax, parafi'ln, or a nontoxic liquid plastic. Such a coating would help keep the cereals fresh and crisp. This, plus the above described snug fitting closure cap, would make it unnecessary for cereals to be first packaged in a wax paper bag. After the top of the box is fitted with this closure cap and sealed with a strip of paper or masking tape 58 (FIG. 6), the empty box is turned upside down and then filled through the bottom. The seal of thin paper 58 pasted over and along the edges of the corner is provided so that the contents retains its freshness and also prevents anyone opening the carton and removing all or part of the contents without breaking the seal. After the box (carton) is filled, the bottom flaps 21 are closed and cemented together.

Iclaim:

1. A dispensing carton provided with a reclosable dispensing opening located at one corner at the top of said carton, said carton including a front panel and a side panel, each of which is scored diagonally across the upper corner formed by said panels and the top of the carton, so as to define a bendable pouring flap and also scored along the corner seam common to said panels, from the diagonals to the top of the carton; at least two relatively flexible strips, one of which is bent against one of said scored areas and the other of which is bent against the other of said scored areas, so that said areas are held closed when the carton is not dispensing and which may be unbent to permit opening said flaps when said carton is to dispense the contents thereof.

2. The carton of claim 1 with a panel pasted on said flap to stiffen the said flaps.

3. The carton of claim 1 wherein the bendable strips are a flat, plastic strip in which a metal wire is embedded.

4. The carton of claim 1 in which the bendable fasteners are each secured to the top panel of the box.

5, The carton of claim 1 including a cover pasted over the seams of the pouring corner. 

1. A dispensing carton provided with a reclosable dispensing opening located at one corner at the top of said carton, said carton including a front panel and a side panel, each of which is scored diagonally across the upper corner formed by said panels and the top of the carton, so as to define a bendable pouring flap and also scored along the corner seam common to said panels, from the diagonals to the top of the carton; at least two relatively flexible strips, one of which is bent against one of said scored areas and the other of which is bent against the other of said scored areas, so that said areas are held closed when the carton is not dispensing and which may be unbent to permit opening said flaps when said carton is to dispense the contents thereof.
 2. The carton of claim 1 with a panel pasted on said flap to stiffen the said flaps.
 3. The carton of claim 1 wherein the bendable strips are a flat, plastic strip in which a metal wire is enbedded.
 4. The carton of claim 1 in which the bendable fasteners are each secured to the top panel of the box. 5, The carton of claim 1 including a cover pasted over the seams of the pouring corner. 